In inquiry into claims against Manatee coach, a wider net

Published: Saturday, February 9, 2013 at 6:44 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, February 9, 2013 at 6:44 p.m.

MANATEE COUNTY - As Bradenton police investigate allegations that a Manatee High School assistant football coach groped a female student, they are also trying to determine who knew about the girl's claims and why no one notified law enforcement as required by law.

A letter written by a student purporting to detail her relationship with the coach, Rod Frazier, was hand-delivered to Principal Don Sauer's office on Jan. 9, yet no one called the police or a state abuse hotline.

Instead, the district launched its own investigation and kept it quiet.

It wasn't until the Herald-Tribune reported the student's story on Thursday and published her letter that law enforcement learned of the allegations and began an inquiry. A day later, an investigator with the State Attorney's Office joined the effort.

Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowki said Saturday that authorities are investigating "all of it," including the mandatory reporting requirements.

"We're looking at everything and we will let the chips fall where they may," he said.

Florida law requires teachers, guidance counselors and any school staff to report a suspicion of child and sexual abuse to a state hotline.

Not reporting such a suspicion is a third-degree felony — a more severe status in the wake of sex scandals such as the one at Penn State. Indeed, anyone convicted faces a punishment of up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

On Friday, a spokeswoman with the state Department of Children and Families confirmed that the state had not been notified.

"It's not up to a school system or a day care or any other system to determine if abuse actually happened," said department press secretary Erin Gillespie.

Claims and definitions

The student's letter includes allegations that Frazier sent her hundreds of text messages, groped her backside and upper thigh and met her in a park at night.

"He would text me to tell me he loves and misses me. He would even tell me to send him naked pictures of myself (which I never did.)," she wrote.

The state's definition of sexual molestation includes the touching of inner thighs and buttocks, including the clothing covering them, for sexual gratification.

The letter prompted Manatee High officials to open an investigation; the student met with Debra Horne, then a specialist with the Office of Professionial Standards.

The student's mother told the Herald-Tribune that after the district received the January letter, Horne told her there were complaints from teachers about Frazier's behavior toward her daughter in the girl's file.

The mother said she wasn't informed of those complaints.

In January, Horne asked to be transferred to Prine Elementary and the investigation fell to Assistant Superintendent Scott Martin.

Horne has not returned phone calls seeking comment. District officials have also declined to comment on the matter.

Parent liaison

In addition to coaching running backs for the Manatee High Hurricanes — who for much of last season were ranked No. 1 nationally in several polls — Frazier is a parent liaison at the school. As such, Frazier is the person to whom student referrals and other disclipinary action are first reported.

In her letter, the student said she first met Frazier after she "got my first referral for not having my I.D. that day at lunch."

She wrote that they became "very close and I trusted him," and that he often called her out of class to his office.

Eventually, she wrote, the relationship made her feel uncomfortable and she stopped talking to him.

Last week Manatee school officials confirmed that Frazier was the subject of an ongoing inquiry.

On Friday, he was placed on paid administrative leave.

It was the second time in three months that the assistant coach has been placed on paid leave: On Nov. 15, interim Superintendent David Gayler placed him on paid leave based on an investigation of possible misconduct.

Gayler said last week that the November investigation was based on "rumors and innuendos about inappropriate relationships with students."

The coach returned to school Nov. 16 and coached a game that night, sources told the Herald-Tribune.

Making the call

The DCF's Gillespie said that state investigations begin within 24 hours of receiving a call to the abuse hotline.

She also said that the student and the alleged perpetrator are among the first people to be interviewed.

The department will immediately call law enforcement if it gets a report indicating potential sexual contact between an adult and a child, she said.

Even if allegations against Frazier didn't include inappropriate touching, the department would have seen cause to investigate based on the department's child maltreatment index if a caller had provided evidence of text messages of a sexual nature.

As required by law, the Manatee school district has posted basic instructions on how to report suspected child abuse or neglect on its website.

The site gives examples of signs of sexual and physical abuse for teachers to look for, such as students that might have trouble walking or sitting, act seductively or show fear toward a particular person.

Employees who observe or receive evidence of abuse are instructed to call the state hotline and then tell their direct supervisor, a hotline "cheat sheet" states.

They are specifically instructed not to hold their own investigation before making the call, although the instructions note that the district's Office of Professional Standards must be notified if a call has been made involving a complaint against a district employee.

Statutes also state that if an allegation of misconduct by school personnel affects the health, safety or welfare of a student, the superintendent and principal must immediately suspend the employee with pay and assign the person to duties that do not involve contact with children.

<p><em>MANATEE COUNTY</em> - As Bradenton police investigate allegations that a Manatee High School assistant football coach groped a female student, they are also trying to determine who knew about the girl's claims and why no one notified law enforcement as required by law.</p><p>A letter written by a student purporting to detail her relationship with the coach, Rod Frazier, was hand-delivered to Principal Don Sauer's office on Jan. 9, yet no one called the police or a state abuse hotline. </p><p>Instead, the district launched its own investigation and kept it quiet.</p><p>It wasn't until the Herald-Tribune reported the student's story on Thursday and published her letter that law enforcement learned of the allegations and began an inquiry. A day later, an investigator with the State Attorney's Office joined the effort.</p><p>Bradenton Police Chief Michael Radzilowki said Saturday that authorities are investigating "all of it," including the mandatory reporting requirements.</p><p>"We're looking at everything and we will let the chips fall where they may," he said.</p><p>Florida law requires teachers, guidance counselors and any school staff to report a suspicion of child and sexual abuse to a state hotline. </p><p>Not reporting such a suspicion is a third-degree felony — a more severe status in the wake of sex scandals such as the one at Penn State. Indeed, anyone convicted faces a punishment of up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.</p><p>On Friday, a spokeswoman with the state Department of Children and Families confirmed that the state had not been notified.</p><p>"It's not up to a school system or a day care or any other system to determine if abuse actually happened," said department press secretary Erin Gillespie. </p><p>Claims and definitions</p><p>The student's letter includes allegations that Frazier sent her hundreds of text messages, groped her backside and upper thigh and met her in a park at night.</p><p>"He would text me to tell me he loves and misses me. He would even tell me to send him naked pictures of myself (which I never did.)," she wrote.</p><p>The state's definition of sexual molestation includes the touching of inner thighs and buttocks, including the clothing covering them, for sexual gratification.</p><p>The letter prompted Manatee High officials to open an investigation; the student met with Debra Horne, then a specialist with the Office of Professionial Standards. </p><p>The student's mother told the Herald-Tribune that after the district received the January letter, Horne told her there were complaints from teachers about Frazier's behavior toward her daughter in the girl's file. </p><p>The mother said she wasn't informed of those complaints. </p><p>In January, Horne asked to be transferred to Prine Elementary and the investigation fell to Assistant Superintendent Scott Martin.</p><p>Horne has not returned phone calls seeking comment. District officials have also declined to comment on the matter.</p><p>Parent liaison</p><p>In addition to coaching running backs for the Manatee High Hurricanes — who for much of last season were ranked No. 1 nationally in several polls — Frazier is a parent liaison at the school. As such, Frazier is the person to whom student referrals and other disclipinary action are first reported. </p><p>In her letter, the student said she first met Frazier after she "got my first referral for not having my I.D. that day at lunch."</p><p>She wrote that they became "very close and I trusted him," and that he often called her out of class to his office. </p><p>Eventually, she wrote, the relationship made her feel uncomfortable and she stopped talking to him.</p><p>Last week Manatee school officials confirmed that Frazier was the subject of an ongoing inquiry.</p><p>On Friday, he was placed on paid administrative leave.</p><p>It was the second time in three months that the assistant coach has been placed on paid leave: On Nov. 15, interim Superintendent David Gayler placed him on paid leave based on an investigation of possible misconduct. </p><p>Gayler said last week that the November investigation was based on "rumors and innuendos about inappropriate relationships with students."</p><p>The coach returned to school Nov. 16 and coached a game that night, sources told the Herald-Tribune.</p><p>Making the call</p><p>The DCF's Gillespie said that state investigations begin within 24 hours of receiving a call to the abuse hotline. </p><p>She also said that the student and the alleged perpetrator are among the first people to be interviewed.</p><p>The department will immediately call law enforcement if it gets a report indicating potential sexual contact between an adult and a child, she said.</p><p>Even if allegations against Frazier didn't include inappropriate touching, the department would have seen cause to investigate based on the department's child maltreatment index if a caller had provided evidence of text messages of a sexual nature.</p><p>DCF investigates inappropriate text messages alone based on "threatened harm of sexual exploitation," said the department's SunCoast Region Communications Director Terri Durdaller.</p><p>As required by law, the Manatee school district has posted basic instructions on how to report suspected child abuse or neglect on its website.</p><p>The site gives examples of signs of sexual and physical abuse for teachers to look for, such as students that might have trouble walking or sitting, act seductively or show fear toward a particular person.</p><p>Employees who observe or receive evidence of abuse are instructed to call the state hotline and then tell their direct supervisor, a hotline "cheat sheet" states. </p><p>They are specifically instructed not to hold their own investigation before making the call, although the instructions note that the district's Office of Professional Standards must be notified if a call has been made involving a complaint against a district employee.</p><p>Statutes also state that if an allegation of misconduct by school personnel affects the health, safety or welfare of a student, the superintendent and principal must immediately suspend the employee with pay and assign the person to duties that do not involve contact with children.</p>